This invention relates to a device for removing overhanging closures for champagne bottles commonly and hereafter referred to as xe2x80x9ccorksxe2x80x9d, although often produced of natural cork or plastic. Because of the gas force built up inside champagne bottles, some care is required after removal of any wire or other restraint in removing the cork from the bottle to avoid having it suddenly pop out of the bottle, possibly striking someone. Also, such sudden opening of the bottle often results in a significant waste of the contents.
There have been a number of devices for opening champagne bottles, such as a simple corkscrew and more complicated corkscrew devices, which include a gear and handle arrangement for removing the cork. Such devices have disadvantages, such as damaging the cork with the result that pieces of cork fall into the champagne. A somewhat complicated form of cork puller is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,355 in which a bracket is secured to a collar, which is secured around the neck of the bottle, and which abuts against an annular projection at the top of the bottle neck. A clamp device within the collar is secured to the cap or cork. A threaded shaft, which is threadedly engaged with a crosspiece at the top of the bracket is secured to the clamp device. A xe2x80x9cTxe2x80x9d handle at the top of the threaded shaft is turned to lift the cap and cork out of the bottleneck.
What is needed is a champagne cork remover, which is easy to operate, and which removes the cork smoothly and safely with little danger of damaging the cork or losing a substantial part of the champagne in the bottle.
A cork remover for removing corks from bottles, particularly champagne bottles and other bottles containing gas under pressure includes a tapered generally tubular part which slips over the neck of the bottle and rests on the curved shoulder part of the bottle. Secured to this part is a collar, which is threadedly engaged with a sleeve encircling the neck. The sleeve incorporates a pair of ports through which are inserted a pair of sharpened pins which penetrate the cork.
In one embodiment, the pins are threaded to the sleeve and handles are secured to the pins which, after removal of the securing wire, if any, enable one to twist the cork to loosen it and enable the cork to be removed. By maintaining a good grip on the handles, a sudden ejection of the cork can be prevented along with the usual loss of contents. A modification of this embodiment incorporates a stand for holding the bottle in position while the cork is being removed.
A second embodiment is like that described above except that, rather than using the handles to force threaded pins into the cork, the handles are connected to C-shaped members having abrasive or toothed internal surfaces which are forced against the cork to hold it while it is turned by the handles.
Another embodiment incorporates an L-shaped handle pivotably secured to the sleeve which provides substantial leverage to force an attached sharpened pin into the cork. A second sharpened pin is threadedly engaged with the sleeve and manually turned into the cork. A further embodiment uses a handle as described above for forcing one pin into the cork and also incorporates a link and lever arrangement which responds to a downward movement of the handle by forcing the second pin into the opposite side of the cork.